The Gold Coast bodyboard community has paid tribute to a Blue Mountains student who died during a TAFE abseiling training assessment on Malaita Wall on October 7.
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The Queensland club held a 'paddle out' on the northernmost beach in NSW, Duranbah Beach, on October 29, to pay tribute to Oliver 'Oli' Carrick, 20, from Queensland.
More than 100 friends and family gathered for the "magical" floating memorial, organiser Mick Parkhill said.
Mr Carrick was a member of their group and had previously been selected in the Queensland bodyboarding team. He moved to the Blue Mountains this year to train as an outdoor guide.
Mr Parkhill said: "Oli was a beloved member of the bodyboarding and surfing community on the Gold Coast." The floating memorial was "in honour of Oli's love of life and everyone around him".
After his death, the club posted numerous tributes for a "fantastic young guy full of life and adventure" including, "Fly high little legend ... you will be greatly missed". His grandmother Cecilia-Ann Crosbie posted her thanks to organisers on social media for helping "farewell our beautiful grandson".
Blue Mountains TAFE students fundraised on October 22-23 to cover travelling to his funeral and memorials on the Gold Coast.
